Search Results

< Back Tanner Albers Tanner Albers Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Tanner Albers was a team captain for the 1994 and 1995 Boys Basketball Teams at Takini High in South Dakota. In both of those years he was the team’s leading scorer, earning All-State and All-Tournament honors while leading the Skyhawks to back-to-back state tournament appearances. He was also a team captain for the 1997-98 United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) Thunderbirds where he led them to the school’s first Junior College National Tournament appearance. That year he earned 1st Team Mon-Dak All-Region, Mon-Dak Region 8 Player of the Year, and was the school’s first, 1st Team All-American. Tanner is currently still the school’s all-time leading scorer UTTC. Tanner played for the Division I Delaware State University Hornets for the 1998-99 season and finished up his collegiate basketball career at the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND. Up until his passing in 2010, Tanner had traveled across North America, playing in many basketball tournaments with teams Iron 5, Iron Boy, Rim Rats, Pure Method, and many others. He would often receive MVP, All-Star, and others honors because of his amazing scoring and shooting talents. He had the opportunity to coach at the collegiate level and was a co-creator of HOOPGOD Basketball Camps. <Back

Sianneh Mulbah Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Builder 2024 <Back Sianneh Mulbah enters her 13th season with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx and her fifth as Chief People Officer. Mulbah is responsible for developing and executing the organization’s comprehensive human resources strategy and is integral to the Executive Team. During her tenure, Mulbah has played a crucial role in transforming the organization’s culture. In 2019, Mulbah became the first Timberwolves and Lynx employee to receive the prestigious Sports Business Journal “Game Changers” award. She was among forty women nationwide honored in New York City for transforming the industry and leading the next generation of women in the sports business. In 2018, Mulbah was named to Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s prestigious “40 Under 40” list, which recognizes high-achieving business leaders in the community. Mulbah was also named a Twin Cities Business 2021 Notable BIPOC Executive for her leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Mulbah leads the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx Women in Sports Leadership Council, which focuses on women's professional growth and development in the workplace. She also serves on the Advisory board of directors for the Twin Cities chapter of Women in Sports and Events (WISE). Before her Advisory role, Mulbah held the position of VP of Mentorship for WISE. In January, Mulbah began her most recent community-focused role when she assumed a board of directors’ role with Volunteers of America. In addition to WISE and VOA, Mulbah also holds a board position on the Ceridian Cares Charity, based out of Toronto, Ontario, and is in her second term as Secretary of School District 196’s (Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan), Native American Parent Advisory Committee, which purpose is to serve in an advisory capacity for planning and implementing programs and events that support District 196 American Indian students and their families. A graduate of Bemidji State University, Mulbah received a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She received a double master’s degree in organizational management–HR and Business Administration from Concordia University-St. Paul. Mulbah resides in the Twin Cities with her son, a senior at the University of MN – Duluth majoring in Journalism, and daughter, a seventh grader and avid soccer player.

< Back Ahman Green Ahman Green Choctaw Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Following an outstanding 12-year career in the NFL, All-Pro running back Ahman Green established himself as a successful football analyst, eSports authority and gamer, coach and philanthropist. Drafted in the third round (76th overall) by the Seattle Seahawks in 1998, Green played two seasons for the team before being traded to the Green Bay Packers in time for the 2001 season. An anchor of the team’s offense, Green was a four-time Pro Bowl selection, a two-time All-Pro and was named the NFC’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2003. He set numerous team records during his eight seasons with Green Bay, including the most touchdowns in a season, the most rushing yards in a game and the longest run from scrimmage, among others. He remains the Packers’ all-time rushing leader and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2014. Green also played two seasons for the Houston Texans. He retired as a member of the Packers in 2011. Green was one of the greatest running backs in University of Nebraska history, leading the school to two national championships (1995 and 1997). A standout running back and three-year starter, Green was named to the First Team All-Big Eight in 1995 and First Team All-Big 12 and Second Team All-American in 1997. He is the Huskers’ third all-time rushing leader. A member of the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame, Green set the Orange Bowl single game rushing record with 206 yards on 29 carries with two touchdowns in the Huskers’ national championship win over Tennessee to finish the 1997 season. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Green spent part of his childhood in Los Angeles before returning to Omaha for high school, where he earned honors as a USA Today and Parade All-American First Team selection and the Gatorade Circle of Champions Nebraska Player of the Year at Omaha Central. A versatile athlete, Green also excelled on the track, winning state championships in the 100m, 200m and 400m relay in his senior year. Off the field, Green was a state Academic All-American as well. Green is strongly committed to giving back to the community and established the Ahman Green Foundation, which is devoted to enhancing the quality of life for children and families that have been impacted by hardship or terminal illness. In addition to his work with his foundation, Green is actively involved with helping many worthy organizations including the Alzheimer’s Association, Make-A-Wish, Wounded Warriors and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Wisconsin and Nebraska. Green and his wife, Marie, reside in Richmond, Texas, and are parents to five children. <Back

John Alexander Hunter Muscogee Creek Induction Category: Year Inducted Builder 2024 <Back John Alexander Hunter is a Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska descendant and White Earth Nation descendant living in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. He is a Muscogee Creek Nation citizen through his paternal grandmother’s (Alexander) family. Encouraged and supported by parents and family, Hunter took great interests in most sports in his home community of St. Paul, Minnesota. He earned the Dave Winfield Scholarship Award for athletic, scholarly, and service achievement in high school. With little more than the encouragement of a literature teacher, John started the first ever organized lacrosse team for his high school in 1994, which went on the state championship its first two years of play. Many of the players had been looked over for the school's most popular sports of baseball and hockey. Lacrosse quickly became popular as many of these student athletes were without an outlet for competitive team athletics. This was an exciting time to organize lacrosse, since there were only 8 teams in the inaugural statewide league, and interest was growing rapidly. Hunter took his lacrosse skills to Stanford University, he played four years of lacrosse and earned team captain honors his senior year. Focusing on starting a family and career, John took a break from lacrosse organizing until 2014 when he co-founded the non-profit sports organization, Twin Cities Native Lacrosse. He was inspired by other local indigenous lacrosse groups such as the Lightning Sticks Society. Since its beginning, Twin Cities Native Lacrosse has helped inspire the rapid growth of the traditional lacrosse games throughout the western Great Lakes communities. The traditional lacrosse game had not been played on a large scale in the region for over 100 years. Facilitating games, hosting skills clinics, and promoting traditional stick-making arts was the core work of the group. Hunter used the network of schools and indigenous youth groups in the Twin Cities to place the Anishinaabe and Dakota ball games directly in front of hundreds of Indigenous youth. Many now teach the game themselves. In 2018, the success of the community work was honored with a Super Bowl Legacy Grant. In 2020, Hunter was selected as the Head Coach for the Minneapolis Boys’ High School Lacrosse team, and became one of the first indigenous lacrosse head coaches in the state’s history. Also in 2020, John became the founding board member for the international non-profit organization, Anishinaabe Baagaadowewin, with a mission to share Anishinaabe history and culture -- specifically about traditional ball games. Hunter helped Anishinabe Baagaadowewin complete the initial work towards the the formation of an Anishinaabe National team. In 2022, Hunter was the primary consultant to BBC Radio’s podcast about ‘Great Lakes’ traditional lacrosse, which was broadcast to millions of listeners worldwide.

North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame (NAIAHF) Banquet Saturday, June 7, 2025 Oneida Hotel and Conference Center; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA The North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame will recognize the 2025 inductee class as well as other annual inductees in an exclusive ceremony and lunch on Saturday, June 7, 2025. There were 54 inductees and 300 guests at the first banquet on September 9, 2023 at the Canterbury Park Expo Center, Shakopee, MN, USA. Last September 16, 2024 there were 55 inductees and 450 guests at the Oneida Hotel and Conference Center, Green Bay, WI, USA. By honoring and celebrating the empowered journey of these individuals and teams, the hope is their stories may inspire future generations to follow their dreams in athletics. Please join us in our efforts to honor and recognize the elite indigenous athletics leaders in North America by becoming a hall of fame, table or drawing sponsor for the 2025 North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet. All proceeds will offset the event expenses including providing gifts to the inductees. This is the NAIAHF website: https://www.naiahf.org/ Dr. Dan and Susan Ninham, Directors, NAIAHF, PO Box 652, Red Lake, MN, USA, 56671, cell: 218.368.6430 coach.danninham@gmail.com 2025 NAIAHF Banquet Schedule coming soon... NAIAHF Banquet Information: $40 USD/per person with a deadline of noon central time on March 8, 2024; send name, cell number and email address, and number of tickets with check or money order payable to Empowered Youth Development Initiatives and mail to Dan Ninham, PO Box 652, Red Lake, MN, 56671, USA or PayPal payment to code: coach.danninham@midco.net Austin Straubel International Airport: The Austin Straubel International Airport in Green Bay, WI is across the road from the host Oneida Hotel and Conference Center, Green Bay: https://www.flygrb.com/ Host Oneida Nation Schools: https://oneida-nsn.gov/education/oneida-nation-school-system/ Host Hotel Information: Oneida Hotel and Conference Center, https://www.oneidahotel.com/ Ask for the group rate for “North American Indigenous Athletics”. The room rate is $99USD plus 15.5% tax. Rooms can be tax exempt with Tribal ID shown at check in. Call this phone number to make a reservation: 920-494-7300 extension 0. Sponsorship Opportunities: Click on this link - https://www.naiahf.org/copy-of-banquet-sponsorship Information: Susan Ninham, cell: 218.766.3507 or Dr. Dan Ninham, cell: 218.368.6430 or coach.danninham@gmail.com

< Back George Robert “GR” Carter Jr. George Robert “GR” Carter Jr. Osage Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 George Robert “GR” Carter Jr. is a retired professional race horse jockey. Carter was named the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) World Champion Jockey ten times in his career including six years consecutively from 2003-2007. No other jockey has won more than five titles. He finished his career as the all time leader in AQHA racing with $75,799,513 in mount earnings and also is the leader by wins with 4,013. Carter is proud of his native Osage heritage and he was born and raised in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. He attended Indian Camp elementary school and graduated from Pawhuska High School in 1986. As a teenager, he was a competitive gymnast and won the state championship when he was 12 years old. During his senior year at Pawhuska High School, Carter won the Class A State Wrestling Championship at 108 pounds. Growing up, Carter was involved in ranching and rodeo, which helped develop his love of horses. At age 14, he began galloping race horses for a local trainer to help fund his rodeo participation. Throughout his senior year in high school, he would occasionally ride races on the weekends at Blue Ribbon Downs and Eureka Downs. After graduating from high school in 1986, Carter moved to Sallisaw, OK to become a full-time jockey at Blue Ribbon Downs. Carter won the All American Futurity twice, in 1998 aboard Falling in Love Again in 2008 aboard Stolis Winner. In 2008, Carter set a new AQHA single-season earnings record by reaching the $5,027,173 mark in mount earnings. May 31, 2009 was declared by Governor Brad Henry as GR Carter Day in Oklahoma. Carter was known throughout the racing world for his “back-flip” dismounts. After winning a stakes race, he often used his gymnastics background to celebrate by performing a back-flip off of the horse form the saddle. GR rode and won his first officially recognized race at 16 years of age in 1984 on a mare named Beas Jester owned and trained by his father George. He finished his career winning the Los Alamitos 2 Million on Flash and Roll in December 2018. Carter and his wife Shaena reside in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In his spare time, Carter is an avid team roper. He will occasionally enter professional rodeos, and own the Pro-Am at the 2007 World Series of Team Roping. <Back

< Back Madison Lavergne Madison Lavergne Métis Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Madison Lavergne is Métis and was a member of the two-time NCAA DIII National Hockey Championship University of Wisconsin-River Falls team. The Falcons won in back-to-back seasons in 2023-24 and 2024-25. She is currently a senior on the team. As a junior in the 2024-25 season, Lavergne was named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. She played in all 31 games with 30 points off 10 goals and 20 assists. She earned the WIAC Player of the Week and Falcon of the Week honors. As a sophomore in the 2023-24 season, Lavergne was named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. She played in all 31 games with 16 points off 10 goals and six assists. She scored four game-winning goals, including the game-winner against Gustavus Adolphus in the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals. She was named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team. She also earned WIAC Player of the Week and two-times Falcon of the Week honors. As a freshman in the 2023-24 season, Lavergne was named an AHCA All-American Scholar. She also was named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll, Lavergne played in all 29 games with 28 points (14g-14a). She scored a hat-trick against UW-Superior and was named the Falcon of the Week one time. Madison Lavergne joined the Falcons as a forward from Warroad, Minn. where she played for the Warroad High School hockey team. As a senior, she was her team’s captain and helped lead the Warriors to a Minnesota State Tournament Championship and finished the season with 16 goals and 16 assists for 32 points. She was named to the All-Conference team as a junior and senior, and was on the National Honor Society. She is the daughter of Katie and Rene Lavergne, and she is majoring in Exercise and Sports Science. <Back

< Back Lauren Schad Lauren Schad Cheyenne River Lakota Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Lauren Schad is a citizen of the Cheyenne River Lakota Nation and raised in He Sapa (The Black Hills) located in Rapid City, South Dakota. She was recruited by the University of San Diego (USD) and in her sophomore and junior seasons, she earned a spot on the USA Collegiate National Volleyball Team roster. She also received All-American Honors. Schad ranked second best in single season hitting percentage in USD history, nationally third ranked in hitting percentage at .410 in the NCAA out of all seniors, was #1 in the WCC in hitting percentage and tenth all-time in career blocks at USD. Following graduation with a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and a minor in English, she was invited to be a Nike N7 Ambassador and played professionally for five seasons in the top league in France, where she and her team won silver in both the Coupe de France and the Championship of France and receiving bronze her following two seasons. She competed in the Champions League for three seasons out of five in France competing against world renowned athletes. During Lauren’s off seasons, she has remained active in her home and tribal communities organizing and hosting camps for Indigenous youth throughout the US and Canada. In 2019, the Red Ribbon Skirt Society asked her to be their first Healing the Globe Ambassador for MMIWG2S. Following her retirement from volleyball in the summer of 2022 she began her textile business, Wicahpi Rugs & Textiles, where she uses Lakota star knowledge and stories to inspire modern art. Lauren hopes through these efforts she will help to increase the visibility and opportunities for youth living in rural areas while shedding light to issues facing Indigenous communities. Action Photo Credit: Alexandrine Maguer Spilers Profile Photo Credit: Taylor Schad <Back

< Back Dane Evans Dane Evans Wichita Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Dane Evans is a former professional quarterback known for his standout career at the University of Tulsa and his success in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Born in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Evans made a name for himself at Sanger High School in Texas before enrolling at Tulsa in 2012. Evans became the Golden Hurricane’s starting quarterback in 2013 and went on to set multiple school records. By the end of his college career, he held program records for career passing yards (11,680), passing touchdowns (84), completions (904), and attempts (1,567). In 2015, he threw for a school-record 4,332 yards and 25 touchdowns, ranking among the national leaders in several passing categories. He capped off his collegiate career with a dominant performance in the 2016 Miami Beach Bowl, earning MVP honors after throwing for over 300 yards and five touchdowns in a win over Central Michigan. Despite going undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft, Evans signed briefly with the Philadelphia Eagles before making his mark in the CFL. He joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2018, initially serving as a backup before taking over as starter in 2019. That season, he passed for 3,754 yards and 21 touchdowns, leading Hamilton to a 15-3 record and a Grey Cup appearance. Over five CFL seasons with Hamilton and later the BC Lions, Evans amassed 9,636 passing yards and 49 touchdowns, plus 10 rushing scores. In 2023, Evans joined the BC Lions and played a key role as a reliable backup and spot starter. He announced his retirement from professional football on January 1, 2024, ending his playing career on his own terms. Transitioning into coaching, Evans served as a graduate assistant at North Texas and coached at the high school level before being named Assistant Quarterbacks Coach and Pass Game Coordinator at Texas State in 2025. His leadership, football IQ, and passion for the game continue to shape his promising coaching career. <Back

< Back Henry Boucha Henry Boucha Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 While growing up in Warroad, Minnesota, Henry Boucha played on the 1964 Bantam State Championship team, was all-conference in football, baseball, and hockey and was three-time All-State in hockey. Boucha graduated in 1969 from Warroad High School. The Warroad Warriors were runner-up at 1969 Minnesota Boys State Hockey Tournament. He signed with the Winnipeg Jets of the WCHL after high school. As an 18-year old, Boucha was chosen to represent the USA in the 1970 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania. In 1970, he was drafted in the US Army during the Vietnam War. He served two years in the Army while playing with the 1971 US World Championship Team and competing in the 1971 World Championships in Bern and Geneva Switzerland. In 1971 the Detroit Red Wings drafted him 16th overall. Still in the service he also played for the US Olympic Team in 1972 in Sapporo, Japan winning a silver medal. Boucha was the first draft choice of the Minnesota Fighting Saints in the new World Hockey Association just after the Olympics. He signed with the Detroit Red Wings in the 1971-72 season and played the last 16 games with Detroit. In 1973, he scored the fastest goal at the start of the game against the Montreal Canadians. Boucha was traded to the Minnesota North Stars in the summer of 1974. He suffered a major eye injury on January 4, 1975 when Dave Forbes of the Boston Bruins hit him with his stick resulting in a devastating and career ending eye injury. Boucha retired in 1977 as a 25-year-old. He returned to Warroad in the mid 80’s to raise his family. Henry coached youth hockey, was Indian Education Director at Warroad Public Schools, and was a realtor. He is the CEO of Boucha Films, LLC, and CEO of Boucha Films LTD, Canada. Boucha Films is currently in pre-production on the movie based on his book he authored called “Henry Boucha, Ojibwa-Native American Olympian”. <Back

John Lyall Kwakwaka’wakw Induction Category: Year Inducted Builder 2024 <Back John Lyall is a proud husband and father of three daughters, is a Kwakwaka’wakw artist and an enthusiastic sportsperson. His Kwakwala name is Mupenkin of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation of Vancouver Island in BC. Lyall has been a lifelong rugby player, coach and now administrator, playing for the Velox Valhallians (Westshore), University of Victoria Vikes, Vancouver Island Crimson Tide and the Canadian Classics. He has been lucky to have played against and with some of Canada’s best. Lyall is currently the president of the Vancouver Island Rugby Union (2014 – present). Thunder Rugby was formed in 2013 under the direction of Lyall, Directors Phil Mack (Toquaht), Bobby Ross (Songhees), and Mark Bryant. Thunder Rugby’s goals are: To promote the game of rugby to Indigenous athletes and communities throughout Canada • To promote core values of rugby of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship; • To have Indigenous culture play a greater role in the development of rugby in Canada; and, • To identify potential high-performance Indigenous athletes that could one day represent BC and Canada. Rugby’s core values of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, and sportsmanship resonate with those of Indigenous communities; they are also traits that defined Lyall as a young man and player throughout his life, and now as coach and leader. Thunder Rugby has undertaken the responsibility of touring to California in August of 2022 and New Zealand in August 2023. These have been enormous and rewarding undertakings. Thunder Rugby used the “Four R’s of Indigenous Ways of Knowing” to guide us on our tours including: Respect to yourself and the Thunder program; Responsibility to your school, your community and your ancestors; Relationships and positive relationships with your coaches, your teammates, and your opposition; and finally, Resiliency: you need to find that well of inner strength to tour and play rugby, you have to be brave to play rugby, and that is what Thunder asked our youth to be. Lyall has been very fortunate to have the opportunity to play and lead in this great sport. For him, it has been a brotherhood for life; it is the embodiment of the Kwakwaka’wakw philosophy of “Num’way’ut, or We are All One”.

< Back Sam Horsechief Sam Horsechief Pawnee and Cherokee Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Sam Horsechief is the head coach of cross-country and track at Sequoyah High School, a Native American boarding school, located in Tahlequah, OK. He started in February 1987 and has been there ever since. In his 35-year coaching career, he has coached: Eight State Team Championships (Cross Country: 6 boys, 2 girls) 12 State Team Runner Ups (Cross Country 11, Track 1) 95 All-State Athletes (Track 39, Cross Country 56) 31 Regional Championships (20 Boys and 12 Girls) 32 Cross Country Honorable Mention All-State Athletes Horsechief was recognized as the 2006 Oklahoma NFHS Boys Cross Country Coach of the Year, Oklahoma Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year in 2001, 2003, 2019 for Cross Country and again for Track in 2003. In 2019, he was inducted in the Oklahoma Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame. After graduating as a top running athlete from Muskogee High School, Sam Horsechief decided to continue his running career at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas then onto Central State University in Edmond, OK. He ran both track and cross-country. During his time as a collegiate athlete, he set the Haskell school record in the 800m run in 1979 with a time of 1:55.8. He also set more school records at CSU in the 1 mile run with a time of 4:19.3 in 1980 and the 800-meter with a time of 1:52.8 in 1981. In addition, he was a seven-time qualifier for the Nationals meets. In track, he qualified six times and once for the Cross Country National meet in 1980. In track, his events included the 800 meter, 1000m run, two-mile relay, distance medley relay, mile relay, and 1500 meter. He won various medals during his career. Most notable, he was a medalist in the NAIA National Indoor meet for the distance medley for placing sixth. He also earned All-American for that event, where he ran the 800m leg of that race. <Back